Rd to Carretas

The next three entries are of Carretas, a squatter settlement on the outskirts of Tijuana, Mx. It is one of many places that LAM missionaries such as Megan Riggott along with Greg and Kathy Saracoff of are serving. I had the priveledge of visiting them a few weeks ago to iron out a few details of LAM's partnerships with our partner ministries.
The first clip is of the "scenery" as we entered into Carretas. This visit was one of those great combinations of ministry, four wheeling and hiking, but the bottom line is that the Gospel is being preached AND ministered in the form of meeting physical needs of children and thier families as they learn about a God who loves and cares for the needs of their souls and thier bodies.

Walking down from the Children's Ministry in Carretas

I'm carefully walking behind Greg as we descend from the multi purpose ministry building where Chella heads up the Carretas outreach. From the small red house they provide tutoring, kids club programs, meals, dental care and many other means of meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the children and their families. (Pardon the unstable camera, I didnt have my hiking boots on!).

Decending from Carretas

As Greg and I drove down from Carretas we had some tongue in cheek fun considering the difference between a tragedy and an opportunity. I could attempt to spiritualize my comments knowing that God is sovereign...but I wont. Enjoy the scenery of one of the many places LAM is working!

The Gospel presented through Open Arms

In my new position at LAM I not only have the priveledge of assisting with ministries in Cuba, but I also get to assist other LAM missionaries as they work alongside of, and serve through local Latin ministries. I want to share with you a video of one of the ministries that LAM missionaries are working with in Medellin, CO.:

The Open Arms Foundation from Open Arms Foundation on Vimeo.

Francis Pineda is completing his seminary studies at "Seminario Biblico de Colombia" en Medellin. This is the same seminary I visited over a year ago when we brought pastors from Cuba to receive extensive training on managing a ministry. Nicole George de Pineda is curently assisting at the ministry of Open Arms. If you're interested in learning more please check out their Blog at: http://alexisandnicole.wordpress.com

God bless!
-Kevin

Equipo Tijuana en Accion

I arrived in San Diego yesterday afternoon and I am thankful that my luggage made it before 1 AM today rather than not at all. I crossed the border with Greg Saracoff (LAM missionary with his wife Kathy and their two kids) this AM and had the privilege to visit various ministries associated with “Equipo Tijuana en Acción” also known as Team Tijuana in English, an associate ministry of Latin America Mission. Our first stop was “Esperanza” (Hope) an amazing drug rehab program where the participants learn practical skills such as welding, glass work, brick making, carpentry and auto repair which will allow them to not only earn an income but keeps them busy, a must for those trying to leave the drug lifestyle. To my pleasant surprise it is run by Javier, a Godly man whom I had the privilege of meeting during the “Instituto Forum Latinum” conference I attended with some Cuban Pastors in Colombia last year. I had forgotten that he was here in TJ and enjoyed catching up with him and seeing his fantastic ministry first hand.

From there we visited Campo de Fe, a ministry that takes in the injured individuals that nobody else cares for and the hospitals won’t accept. “Rosa” runs this ministry high on a hill above TJ where some of the poorest of the poor who have been gravely injured in various ways are brought to heal or die in loving surroundings with people who minister to their body and soul. One of the men I spoke to recently had his middle left toe amputated due to complications of diabetes. Now my dad had a toe amputated (he chose to have the doctor do this rather than chopping it off himself, but that’s another story) and he came home from the hospital with it nicely sewn and bandaged up. Not so here. I’m not a doctor, but what I was looking at seemed more like the chicken meet that Claudia chops up. There was a literal hole where his toe used to be with various parts hanging out that I think should have been inside. He thought the doctors had done a good job, so I just smiled and prayed for him as he dabbed the open wound with some gauze. Wow!

Next we had a meeting with some of the leaders of the ministries associated with Team Tijuana and I get to meet a few of the pastors and leaders I will be sharing more with over the next few days. Please pray for wisdom as I seek to encourage some of them in working together as a team and considering themselves as parts of the body of Christ instead of their own independent, unattached ministries. Pray for a sensitivity to the spirit and a sharpness of mind as I listen and respond to their own concerns, needs and desires for the ministries they are involved in. Also please continue praying for Claudia and the boys back at home continuing with their normal routine while I’m away. Thank you for your prayers and support. I’ll add more in a day or so.

God bless!

Electronic Love Letter -“cito” (meaning “little”).

Nothing fancy, just a quick update and prayer request.

From our last news letter you know that I will be developing a department of “North America Ministries” focused on assisting US Churches and their missionaries to maintain or develop an even stronger connection once the missionaries are deployed as opposed to loosing or relinquishing that relationship to a third organization such as LAM. We literally want to assist the sending churches in THEIR calling to fulfill the great commission as opposed to taking their place and becoming a “middle man” between the sending church and the missionary.

But that’s not what I’m writing you about. Just after the new year, Steve Johnson, LAM’s president requested that I assist in filling the positions of Ministries Coordinator as they searches for a Latin who can fill the role. I’m Swedish, Swiss-German which is just about as far from Latin as you can get, but Latin through marriage. (Thanks to Claudia!) Once again I am honored and humbled to be asked to work in such a role and am seeking the Lord for even greater wisdom and discernment in order to honor Him in all I do. It’s an exciting role of working with all our ministry partners throughout Central and South America, and assisting our missionaries in matching them with a ministry that needs their giftings and where they would be of the greatest help. In all this I desperately need your prayers. I’ve already seen some wonderful connections that the Lord has brought about and look forward to more.

Tomorrow AM I will be flying to Tijuana and will be working with some of our missionaries, ministry partners and associate churches. Please be praying for me as I seek to learn my job while on the job, and for the Lord’s hand to work in, around and through me while I’m there.

Also, please keep Claudia and the boys in your prayers while I am away, they are just getting over some bad coughs. On my return Claudia will need some extensive dental work on what we believe to be three crowns.

Thank you for your support, love and assistance in so many ways. Keep an eye on our blog this week as I plan to post instead of e-mail updates. (http://abeggloveletters.blogspot.com )

God bless!